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Guaranteed Rate Field
| pushpin_map = United States Chicago#USA Illinois#USA | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Chicago##Location in Illinois##Location in the United States | broke_ground = May 7, 1989 | built = 1989–1990 | opened = | renovated = 2001–2007, 2015–2016 | closed = | demolished = | owner = Illinois Sports Facilities Authority | operator = Illinois Sports Facilities Authority | surface = Kentucky Bluegrass | scoreboard = 8,000 square foot Center field HD video board × (2016–present) 2,500 square foot auxiliary video boards in Right & Left Field (2016–present) LED Ribbon Board, facade of the 500 level (2018–present) Fan Deck Ribbon Board (2003–present) | architect = Populous (then HOK Sport) HKS, Inc. (2001–2007 renovations) | project_manager = International Facilities Group, LLC | structural engineer = Thornton Tomasetti | services engineer = Flack + Kurtz | general_contractor = Gust K. Newberg Construction Company | main_contractors = | record_attendance = 47,754 (September 24, 2016; Chance The Rapper concert) White Sox game: 46,246 (October 5, 1993; ALCS Game 1) Post-renovations: 41,432 (October 23, 2005; World Series Game 2) | dimensions = (2001–present) Left field – Left-center – (not posted) Center field – Right-center – (not posted) Right field – Backstop – Outfield wall height – | tenants = Chicago White Sox (MLB) (1991–present) | publictransit = at Sox-35th at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT at 35th Street-Lou Jones | address = 333 West 35th Street | parking = 8 main parking lots | construction_cost = US$137 million ($ }} in dollars ) $118 million (2001–2007 renovations) ($ }} in dollars ) | seating_capacity = 40,615 (2004–present) 47,098 (2002–03) 47,522 (2001) 44,321 (1991–2000) }} Guaranteed Rate Field is a baseball park located in Chicago, Illinois, that serves as the home ballpark for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. The facility is owned by the state of Illinois through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, and is operated by the White Sox. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at the original Comiskey Park. It also opened with the name Comiskey Park but was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 after U.S. Cellular bought the naming rights at $68 million over 20 years. The current name was announced on October 31, 2016, after Guaranteed Rate, a private residential mortgage company located in Chicago, purchased the naming rights to the ballpark in a 13-year deal. The stadium is situated just to the west of the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago's Armour Square neighborhood, adjacent to the more famous neighborhood of Bridgeport. It was built directly across 35th Street from old Comiskey Park, which was demolished to make room for a parking lot that serves the venue. Old Comiskey's home plate location is represented by a marble plaque on the sidewalk next to Guaranteed Rate Field and the foul lines are painted in the parking lot. Also, the spectator ramp across 35th Street is designed in such a way (partly curved, partly straight but angling east-northeast) that it echoes the contour of the old first-base grandstand. The park was completed at a cost of US$137 million. The current public address announcer is Gene Honda, who also serves as the PA announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks, NCAA Final Four, and University of Illinois Football. History The stadium was the first new major sporting facility built in Chicago since Chicago Stadium in 1929. It was also the last one built before the wave of new "retro-classic" ballparks in the 1990s and 2000s. However, a few design features from old Comiskey Park were retained. The front facade of the park features arched windows. Most notable is the "exploding scoreboard" which pays homage to the original installed by Bill Veeck at the old park in 1960. The original field dimensions and seating configuration were very similar to those of Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium) in Kansas City—which had been the last baseball-only park built in the majors, in 1973. As originally built, the park was criticized by many fans because of the height of the upper deck. The original architect, HOK Sport (now Populous), wanted to eliminate the overhang problems present in many stadiums built since the 1970s. With this in mind, the upper deck was set back over the lower deck, and the stands rose fairly gradually. While it gave nearly every seat in the upper level an unobstructed view of the field, it also created one of the highest upper decks in baseball. The first row of seats in the upper deck at the new stadium is as far from the field as the highest row of seats in the upper deck at the old stadium. Due to the field being practically at street level, the original upper deck made the park look like a cookie-cutter stadium from the outside. Fans sitting in this area didn't get much chance for relief, as it is one of the few parks in Major League Baseball that do not allow fans sitting in the upper deck to venture anywhere else in the park, e.g. lower deck concourse. In response to fan complaints, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations since the 2001 season in order to retrofit the facility to current architectural trends. These changes have included building a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical and, most significantly, the removal of 6,600 seats at the top of the upper deck. The uppermost story of the park now has a white and black screen behind the top row of seats and is topped by a flat canopy roof supported by black steel truss supports that obstruct the view of a few seats. The original blue seats were also replaced by forest green seats. The new green and black color scheme, upper level screen set back from the outer wall and canopy roof are reminiscent of the old Comiskey Park, as well as other classic baseball stadiums. The White Sox have also added murals to the interior concourses, a prominent feature of the old stadium. The stadium houses 103 luxury suites located on two levels, as well as 1,822 "club seats" on 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. The stadium has 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, 38 public restrooms, 12 escalators and 15 elevators. The new suites were one example of why the old Comiskey Park was demolished, as suites generate more revenue. Attractions and features *'Fan Deck': A panoramic view of the playing field on the two-tiered Fan Deck atop the center field concession stands. Fan Deck includes catered food and beverage service consisting of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, popcorn, beer, soda, and water. Fan deck can accommodate around 150 people. *'The Goose Island': A 326 seat section in right field that features running water fixtures on all four sides, individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section includes cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more. *'Craft Kave': A two-tiered, open-air section located in right field next to the visitor's bullpen with food and drinks. *'Rain Room': A place where fans can cool off during hot game days. Near section 107 & 537. *'Kids Zone': Located in left field. This area is devoted to young White Sox fans, providing them with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting "swing" boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction. *'Speed Pitch Machines': Near Section 164 and in the Kids Zone *'Chicagoland Plumbing Council Shower': A carry-over from old Comiskey Park where fans can cool off during hot gamedays. Near Section 160. *'Scout Seats': Located directly behind home plate and contains 314 leather seats. *'The Patio': Located just behind the right center field fence at field level. The patio serves for group outings such as the Craft Kave and can accommodate from 50 to 100 people. *'Home Plate Club': Located behind home plate. Features include a restaurant buffet, open bar, open air seating in padded, extra-wide 22" seats, private restrooms, flat-screen televisions throughout the club and seating area, private elevator entrance behind home plate at Gate 4, early admittance into the ballpark for select games to watch White Sox batting practice from the outfield. *'Minnie Miñoso Sculpture': Located behind Section 164. *'Carlton Fisk Sculpture': Located behind Section 164. *'Charles Comiskey Sculpture': Located behind Section 100. *'Luis Aparicio Sculpture': Located behind Section 100. *'Nellie Fox Sculpture': Located behind Section 100. *'Billy Pierce Sculpture': Located behind Section 164. *'Harold Baines Sculpture': Located behind Section 105. *'Frank Thomas Sculpture': Located behind Section 160. *'Paul Konerko Sculpture': Located behind Section 160. *'Jim Thome Plaque': Located on the center field fan deck. The description of the plaque reads "On June 4, 2008, Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome became the first player ever to hit a baseball onto the Fan Deck of U.S. Cellular Field as the Sox beat the Kansas City Royals. He duplicated the tape-measure feat on September 30, 2008 as the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins, 1-0, in a one-game playoff to win the American League Central Division championship." *'The Two Blue Seats': The seats where Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field in section 159) and Scott Podsednik's game-winning home run (right center first row in section 101) that landed in game two of the 2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game. *'White Sox Champions Brick Plaza': Located at the main entrance to the park, (Gate 4). The plaza is dedicated to the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox and their fans. Each legacy brick is inscribed with a personalized message that has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture celebrating the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship that stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. The statue weighs over 25 tons. *'Old Comiskey Park's home plate': Located just north of the park by Gate 5 in Lot B. *'"ChiSox Bar and Grill"': A multi-level restaurant and bar located inside of Gate 5. The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment. *'Chicago Sports Depot': A Chicago White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and Fire merchandise store located next to ChiSox Bar and Grill at Gate 5. Renovations and additions 1996–99 seasons * 1996 – A bullpen bar was added in right field. * 1998 – The batter's eye was painted from blue to black. * 1999 – A new Bill Veeck-esque showerhead in left field and a "Rain Room" in right field for fans to cool off during hot summertime games. 2001–07 seasons In 2001, extensive renovations were started by HKS Sports & Entertainment Group to make the park more fan-friendly: Phase I (2001 season) * Three rows of nearly 2,000 seats were added along the field between the dugouts and the foul poles. * Bullpens were relocated to allow fans to see pitchers warming up; former bullpens filled with new seats. * Two-tiered terrace seating area added outside the Bullpen Sports Bar. * Distances to the outfield wall were changed, most noticeably down the foul lines, where the bullpens and the Bullpen Sports Bar are now located. * Outfield seating area extended to the fence. * A full-service restaurant, dubbed the Stadium Club, was introduced with windows overlooking the right field corner. * Capacity was increased from 44,321 to 45,936. Phase II (2002 season) * Old backstop with netted roof was replaced with a new "roofless" backstop which allows foul balls to drop into seats directly behind home plate. * Multi-tiered Batter's eye built in center field. * Main concourse upgraded with brick facade, stainless steel counter tops and decorative lighting. * Club-level concourse enclosed and carpeted with heating, air conditioning and comfortable seating areas throughout. * Party deck was added in center field, just below the scoreboard and above the batter's eye. Phase III (2003 season) * Scoreboard and video boards were upgraded. * Full-color, high resolution 28 × video screen added to center field scoreboard. * Two -long, 5-foot-high video LED "ribbon" boards added along the upper deck facade. * Design upgrades consistent with the lower deck finished on outfield and upper deck concourses. * Fan Deck, featuring food and beverage service in an elevated patio-like atmosphere, built on center field concourse. * Outfield steel framework and underside of canopy roof painted dark gray; concrete in seating areas and on pedestrian ramps stained gray. * A life size bronze statue of Charles Comiskey was placed on the center field concourse behind section 100. * Capacity is increased from 45,936 to 47,098. * Phase III renovations cost approximately $20 million. Phase IV (2004 season) * Upper Deck Seating Area – 8 rows and 6,600 seats were removed from the top of the ballpark's upper deck. * A flat roof, elevated above the seating area, has replaced the old sloped canopy-style roof, covering 13 of the 21 rows of seating. * Upper Deck Concourse was partially enclosed from the weather by a translucent wall. * Fan Deck in center field upgraded to feature tiered seating and standing room. * Lower Terrace balcony added to provide an additional party area and outdoor seating. * The outfield wall was redone with pictures of White Sox players who've had their number retired. * A life sized bronze statue of Minnie Miñoso placed on the center field concourse behind section 164. * Capacity is decreased from 47,098 to 40,615. * Phase IV renovations cost approximately $28 million. Phase V (2005 season) * 314-seat "Scout" seating area directly behind home plate added, which offers ticket holders behind-the-scenes access to the ballpark and the world-class amenities, including free food, for one-inclusive price. * FUNdamentals Deck, an area for kids to work on various baseball skills, was added above the left field concourse. * Green seats, modeled after those in the original Comiskey Park, replaced the old blue seats in the Club level and some scattered areas around home plate. The bleachers in left-center field were painted green. * A life size bronze statue of Carlton Fisk that was placed on August 7 on the center field concourse behind section 164. Phase VI (2006 season) * Green seats reminiscent of those in the original Comiskey Park replaced the old blue seats in the entire Upper Deck and the Lower Deck between the dugouts. * Enclosed, ground level restaurant was completed, providing a lounge and dining area for the Scout Seats. * New banners were hung down on the outfield light towers. One for the 2005 World Series, one for the 1906 and 1917 World Series, one for all White Sox American League pennants, and one for all the division championships. * The flags for these titles, now on the banners, were replaced with flags of all the Sox logos in club history. * Life size bronze statues of Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio placed on the center field concourse behind section 100. Phase VII (2007 season) * Green seats replaced the old blue seats in the Lower Deck from the dugouts and the entire outfield seating area (including the left-center field bleachers which were previously renovated). The green seats between the dugout and the foul poles have been slightly turned, re-directing them toward the center of the field. (Visually Re-Directed Seats) * The seats where Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field) and Scott Podsednik's walk off home run (right center first row) landed in game two of the 2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game and stand out from the all-green seats. * The Scoreboard in right field was painted green. * A new premium seating/restaurant named the Jim Beam Club (as of 2014, renamed to Home Plate Club) is located in the former press box behind home plate on the stadium's Diamond Suites 200 Level. * A new press box located on the first base side on the Diamond Suites 400 Level. The facility features 32 flat-screen televisions, wireless internet access and seating for 100 working members of the media. * A new custom T-shirt shop * A life size bronze statue of Billy Pierce that was placed on July 23 on the center field concourse behind section 164. * A Thome Ticker counting down to Jim Thome's 500th Career Home Run (Hit on September 16 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). The ticker was located in right field on the right advertising board. The ticker was then taken down after the 2007 season. * The beginning of the White Sox Champions brick plaza in front of the stadium (Gate 4) and Phase I of brick sales. Extensive renovations (2008–present seasons) Renovations added not part of the original plan. 2008 season * The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveiled the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility on April 8. The new lot (Lot L) saves taxpayer money by substantially reducing the amount of water entering Chicago's stormwater system, improving overall water quality and help reduce the Urban heat island effect. * The White Sox Legacy Brick Program unveiled its brick plaza outside Gate 4 on April 11. Each Legacy Brick is inscribed with a personalized message and has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture weighing over 25 tons that celebrates the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. Players on the sculpture from the 2005 team are Paul Konerko, Joe Crede, Orlando Hernández, Geoff Blum and Juan Uribe. * Plasma flat screen television sets were added throughout the outfield concourse and at the top of its beer concession stands. * A life size bronze statue of Harold Baines that was placed on July 20 on the right field concourse behind Section 105. 2009 season * About $15 million in renovations were done to Gate 5 (north of 35th Street) to improve access to the park. The demolition (beginning of November 2008) of the easternmost portion of the pedestrian ramp and removal of the top two levels of the eastern-most foot bridge across 35th Street, reducing it to one level with continuing access to the park on the main concourse level. The second foot bridge at Gate 5, about west of the east bridge, continues to offer access to the park on three levels. The project also included installation of escalators in a new, weather-protected enclosure and installation of elevators which will provide additional access for fans with disabilities. The project was completed by Opening Day on April 7 as the White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 4–2. * Inside the park, a new scoreboard (23 ft x 68 ft) with 913,000 LED lights (similar to Tropicana Field) replaced the older out-of-town scoreboard in right field. In addition to displaying both lineups (that of the Sox and their opponents) the board showed season stats for the current batter and pitcher. It also served as an upgrade to the old "around-the-league" scoreboard that it replaced. While the old scoreboard showed only the current innings, scores, and pitchers' jersey numbers, the new board was capable of showing balls, strikes, outs, locations of any baserunners, and the current batter and pitcher by last name instead of by number. A slight disadvantage is that the new board only showed four games at a time in this manner, whereas the old board showed every game in progress simultaneously. * A small plaque honoring Jim Thome located on the center field fan deck for his 464-foot home run shot that landed there, becoming the first player ever to do so on June 4, 2008. The White Sox defeated the Royals in that game. Thome duplicated this feat again on September 30, 2008 in a one-game playoff against AL Central rival Minnesota Twins. His home run proved to be the game winner in a 1–0 shutout to win the AL Central. * For White Sox players a new hydrotherapy room with three combinational hot-and-cold whirlpool tubs. An underwater treadmill, that can curb problems relating to the abdominals, back and knee, as well as strengthens the muscles and hip, is installed in one of the tubs. * "The Catch" was written on the left-center field wall above Billy Pierce's image (now above a blank wall), at the location where DeWayne Wise made a spectacular catch to rob Gabe Kapler of a 9th-inning home run and preserve Mark Buehrle's perfect game on July 23, 2009. 2010–present seasons 2010 season * A new outdoor Beer Garden named "TBD's" was installed by July 26 (when the White Sox hosted the Seattle Mariners) at Gate 5. The area served beer, wine, soda and water. TBD's also had 12 flat-screen TVs. TBD's was taken down and replaced by "ChiSox Bar and Grill" in 2011. The restaurant is open from 11 AM on days when the Sox have home games. Although it is technically outside the park and accessible with or without a game ticket, fans must be 21 or older to enter. Home Plate Club opens behind home plate * Frank Thomas' number and picture were added to the outfield wall as his number was retired. 2011 season * A new Metra station (Jones/Bronzeville) on the Rock Island line (designed by Infrastructure Engineering, Inc.) worth $7.9 million was planned to be opened in 2009, but due to a year-long delay of construction the station opened in 2011 after groundbreaking on June 29, 2009. The new station is located East of the ballpark just beyond the I-90/I-94 Dan Ryan Expressway. * A multi-level restaurant and bar inside Gate 5 called "ChiSox Bar and Grill" (formerly known as Bacardi at the Park). The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment for Guaranteed Rate Field guests that started in April 2011. "ChiSox Bar and Grill" is open during the baseball season, but plans made the restaurant and bar a year-round establishment. * A life-size bronze statue of Frank Thomas was unveiled on July 31, against the Boston Red Sox. It is the 8th placed on the outfield concourse. 2012 season * Chicago Sports Depot, a new merchandise store located right next to Gate 5 and ChiSox Bar and Grill. Featuring White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and other Chicago area sports teams merchandise. The store opened on November 19, 2011. 2014 season * A life-size bronze statue of Paul Konerko was unveiled on September 27, against the Kansas City Royals. It is the 9th placed on the outfield concourse. 2016 season * Three new HD video boards were installed before the start of the 2016 season at a cost of $7.3 million. The auxiliary boards in left and right field, and the main video board in center, were all replaced with new HD screens. The project was funded via the Sox' capital repairs budget. 2018 season * The visitor's clubhouse was renovated to meet up to date technology. * A virtual reality home run derby batting cage was installed in the Chicago Sports Depot for fans. * A 30-foot-high safety netting has been extended to the outfield end of both dugouts, or from section 122 to 142. * A new LED ribbon board has extended to run the entire length of the grandstand, which means the retired numbers that resided behind home plate had to be moved to the first and third-base lines. 2019 season * A 326 seat section dubbed "The Goose Island" will replace sections 106 and 107 in right field. The section includes running water fixtures on all four sides to create the “island” of beer and baseball. The section also features individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section will also provide a “modernized” game day experience with cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more. The revamped section expands the presence of Goose Island, which is owned by beverage conglomerate Anheuser-Busch InBev, inside the stadium. The previously known Craft Cave will become the Goose Island Craft Cave, a 10-foot Goose Island tap statue will overlook the stadium from the special section. The section will be ready by opening day on April 4. * An extension of the safety netting from the dugouts to foul poles is expected to be completed during the 2019 season. Retired numbers There are 12 retired numbers on the facade of the 1st and 3rd base sides of the 300 level. on Opening Day 2014]] Ballpark firsts Opening Day (April 18, 1991) Batting Pitching Other firsts Transportation to the stadium *Guaranteed Rate Field can be reached by using the CTA's "L" Rapid Transit system. The stadium's station stops are Sox–35th for the Red Line and 35-Bronzeville-IIT for the Green Line. The Red Line is also used by Cubs fans to reach Wrigley Field (Addison Station) on the North side of Chicago. When the White Sox take on the Cubs every year, usually in June, many fans will use the Red-Line to get to the game. The series dubbed the Cross-Town Classic or the Windy City Showdown. A new Metra station (35th Street) opened on the Rock Island line in 2011, which helps fans with more accessibility. It is also accessible by CTA bus route #35 (31st/35th Street) and suburban Pace Guaranteed Rate Field Express shuttle service. *Guaranteed Rate is just west of the I-90/94 Dan Ryan Expressway. The "Dan Ryan" was under construction in 2006–2007 in hopes of relieving traffic congestion. *The park has seven main entrances. Gate 1 is located on the South side of the park in right field, Gate 2 is located on the Southwest side of the park down the right field line, Gate 3 is located on the West side of the park on the 1st base side, Gate 4 is on the Northwest side of the park behind home plate, Gate 5 is located on the North side of the park on the 3rd base side, Gate 6 is located on the Northeast side of the park down the left field line and Gate 7 is located on the East side of the park in left field. *The main level is accessible only by fans who have a ticket to a seat in the lower level. *The park has 8 main parking lots. Notable games/events 1990s *April 18, 1991: The inaugural game of the ballpark. The White Sox were defeated by the Detroit Tigers 16–0. Attendance: (42,191) *April 22, 1991: Frank Thomas hits the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park as the Sox defeat the Baltimore Orioles, 8–7, in the first night contest in the new ballpark. Attendance: (30,480) *April 9, 1993: Bo Jackson homers with his first swing of the bat in the club's home opener against the New York Yankees as he becomes the first Major Leaguer in history to play with an artificial hip. The White Sox would lose though 11–6. Attendance: (42,775) *June 22, 1993: Carlton Fisk catches his 2,226th game against the Texas Rangers, breaking Bob Boone's record for games caught in a career. The White Sox won 3–2. Attendance: (36,757) *September 27, 1993: The Sox clinched their second AL West title and first in 10 years by defeating the Seattle Mariners, 4–2. Bo Jackson's three-run home run in the sixth inning of this game is one of the more enduring images in the ballpark's history. Attendance: (42,116) *October 5, 1993: New Comiskey hosted its first ever playoff game, game 1 of the 1993 ALCS. The Sox lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 7–3. The park also played host to games 2 and 6 of the series, which the Sox lost, four games to two. Attendance: (46,246) *September 14, 1997: Carlton Fisk's number 72 was retired by the White Sox as the Sox played the Cleveland Indians. The Sox would lose 8–3. Attendance: (32,485) *May 18, 1998: Mike Blowers of the Oakland Athletics completes the first cycle at new Comiskey Park. The Athletics defeated the White Sox 14–0. Attendance: (14,387) 2000s *April 22, 2000: The White Sox and the Detroit Tigers end up in two brawls in the game. One lasts for almost 30 minutes and sees eight players from both sides are ejected along with Sox manager Jerry Manuel. A record number of players would be fined and subsequently suspended. One of the more lingering memories is Sox relief pitcher Keith Foulke suffering a gash on his face courtesy of a sucker punch from the side. The Sox win the game 14–6 and use it as a rallying point for the rest of the season. Attendance: (16,410) *June 19, 2000: The White Sox make baseball history when they begin selling vegetarian hot dogs during games. The Sox play the Cleveland Indians and defeated them 6–1. Attendance: (43,062) *May 2, 2002: Mike Cameron of the Seattle Mariners, a former White Sox player, blasts four solo home runs to tie a Major League record to help the Mariners win 15–4. The Mariners score 10 runs in the first inning and all of Cameron's home runs are hit within the first six innings. Cameron flies out to the warning track in the ninth, just missing the record-breaking number of homers in a game. Attendance: (12,891) *September 13, 2002: The Rolling Stones play the first concert in stadium history while on their Licks Tour. *September 19, 2002: Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa is attacked on the field by two fans, William Ligue, Jr. and son, during a game against the White Sox. The father and son, highly intoxicated, run onto the field unprovoked, tackled Gamboa, and throw several punches before being restrained by players and security. Ligue, Jr. was later found to have been possessing a knife. Gamboa suffered permanent hearing loss as a result of the attack. The Royals defeated the White Sox 2–1. Attendance: (10,354) *July 15, 2003: The park hosts the 74th All-Star Game, the first one having been played at Comiskey Park in 1933. Esteban Loaiza of the White Sox is the American League starting pitcher. Jim Edmonds gets the game's first hit, a first-inning single. Carlos Delgado drives in the first run with a third-inning single off the NL's Randy Wolf. After a five-run fifth by the National League stars, the AL scores three in the eighth against Éric Gagné. A 1-2-3 ninth pitched by Keith Foulke seals a 7-6 AL victory over the NL. White Sox stars in the game include Loaiza, Magglio Ordóñez and Carl Everett. Attendance: (47,609) *July 25, 2003: Frank Thomas hits his 400th career home run against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to help the Sox win 7–2. Attendance: (22,617) *September 13–14, 2004: U.S. Cellular Field hosts two games between the Florida Marlins and the Montreal Expos, due to Hurricane Ivan in Florida. The Marlins sweep by scores of 6–3 and 8–6. The series would return to Florida to finish the last three games, with the Expos taking two. Game 1 attendance: (4,003), Game 2 attendance: (5,457) *April 16, 2005: Pitcher Mark Buehrle finishes a game against the Seattle Mariners in only 1 hour and 39 minutes, giving up one run and three hits (all to Ichiro Suzuki), and backed by two White Sox runs, both homers by Paul Konerko. In the game, he throws just 106 pitches. Subtracting the time spent between innings, the game took only 63½ minutes to play. Attendance: (25,931) *August 7, 2005: A life-sized bronze statue of catcher Carlton Fisk is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 164. The White Sox defeat the Seattle Mariners 3–1. Attendance: (35,706) *October 4, 2005: Catcher A. J. Pierzynski's two home runs and a double carry Chicago to an easy 14-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of their 2005 American League Division Series. Attendance: (40,717) *October 11, 2005: Having swept the ALDS, the White Sox host Game 1 of the 2005 American League Championship Series. No runs are scored beyond the fourth inning as the Anaheim Angels take the series opener 3-2. It will be the last and only Sox loss of the entire 2005 postseason. Attendance: (40,659) *October 12, 2005: After a ceremonial first pitch thrown by White Sox fan U.S. Senator Barack Obama, a tight game is won 2-1 by the Sox in the ninth inning on a controversial call permitting A.J. Pierzynski to take first base following a strikeout and Joe Crede's single driving home the game-winning run. Attendance: (41,013) *October 22, 2005: The first ever World Series game in this stadium. Luis Aparicio throws the ceremonial first pitch, then is joined by 1959 World Series teammates Jim Landis, J. C. Martin, Billy Pierce and Bob Shaw on the field. Josh Groban sings the national anthem. Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros is the game's first batter. Jermaine Dye's first-inning home run off Roger Clemens provides the game's first hit and run. The White Sox get their first World Series game victory since 1959, defeating the Houston Astros 5–3. Attendance: (41,206) *October 23, 2005: Paul Konerko hits a grand slam against the Astros to take the lead 6–4 for the Sox in Game 2 of the World Series. Scott Podsednik hits a walk-off solo home run for the Sox to win 7–6. Their championship-clinching two World Series wins will come on the road in Houston. Attendance: (41,432) *October 28, 2005: The team's victory parade begins at U.S. Cellular Field, players boarding double-decker buses that travel north to downtown Chicago. A throng estimated at more than 200,000 celebrates the first White Sox championship since 1917. *April 2, 2006: The Sox open the 2006 season with the unveiling of their 2005 World Series Championship banner on the left-center light tower. Three other banners are placed on the other light towers: One for the 1906 and 1917 World Series championships by the Sox on the far left tower. The one on the right-center tower is for all the team's American League Championships. The one on the far right is for all the division championships. The Sox defeat the Cleveland Indians 10–4. Attendance: (38,802) *April 4, 2006: The 2005 White Sox receive their championship rings on ring day. The Sox are defeated by the Indians 8–2. Attendance: (37,591) *May 20, 2006: In the second inning, Brian Anderson of the Sox hits a sacrifice fly, attempting to score catcher A. J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski collides with Cub catcher Michael Barrett as Barrett attempts to tag Pierzynski out, knocking Barrett over and jarring the ball loose. After slapping home plate in celebration, Pierzynski begins to walk away, but Barrett blocks his path and punches him in the jaw. A bench-clearing brawl ensues, with Pierzynski, Barrett, Anderson and Cubs first baseman John Mabry ejected. Umpires debated for 15 minutes over who would be ejected. When play finally resumed, outfielder Scott Podsednik promptly got on base, loading the bases, and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi cleared them with a grand slam. The Sox won the game, 7–0. Attendance: (39,387) *June 20, 2006: The White Sox score 11 runs in one inning against the St. Louis Cardinals and defeated them 20–6. Attendance: (39,463) *June 25, 2006: The Sox face the Houston Astros in a rematch of the 2005 World Series. With the score at 9–2 in favor of the Astros in the bottom of the eighth inning, Tadahito Iguchi hits a three-run homer to cut the Astros lead to four runs. In the ninth, with the bases loaded, Iguchi hits a grand slam to tie the game at 9. The Sox end up losing 10–9 in extra innings. Attendance: (38,516) *April 18, 2007: Mark Buehrle throws a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers. The Sox win 6–0 with a grand slam from Jermaine Dye and a pair of solo homers from Jim Thome. It is the first no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field. Attendance: (25,390) *September 16, 2007: Jim Thome's 500th career home run against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is as a walk-off as the Sox defeat the Angels 9–7. Attendance: (29,010) 1–0]] *April 8, 2008: The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveil the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility in parking lot L. *April 11, 2008: The White Sox dedicate their new brick plaza to the 2005 World Series Champions and their fans. The Sox are defeated by the Detroit Tigers 5–2. Attendance: (26,094) *May 22, 2008: Welcome back Carlton Fisk Night: Fisk returns to the White Sox organization and becomes a team ambassador. Ex-Sox players Bo Jackson and Ron Kittle join in the pre-game ceremonies and three former players enter the park in center field on motorcycles. Other teammates of Fisk are honored and announced by Ed Farmer such as Harold Baines, Joey Cora and Ozzie Guillén. Former Sox general manager Roland Hemond (1970–1985) is also in the special ceremony. Hemond brought Fisk into the organization in 1981 after Fisk played 11 years with the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980). The Sox defeat the Cleveland Indians 3–1. Attendance: (28,040) *July 20, 2008: A life-sized bronze statue of Harold Baines is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 105. The Sox are defeated by the Kansas City Royals 8–7 and Jim Thome of the Sox collects his 2,000th career hit. Attendance: (32,269) *August 5, 2008: Ken Griffey, Jr. makes his White Sox home debut against the Detroit Tigers. Griffey goes 1 for 6 and strikes out 3 times. In the bottom of the 14th inning, Nick Swisher hits a three-run walk-off home run to help the Sox win 10–8. Attendance: (35,371) *August 14, 2008: The White Sox become just the sixth team to hit four consecutive home runs in a game, accomplishing the feat against the Royals. In the bottom of the 6th inning with two outs, Jim Thome hits a three-run homer, followed by solo home runs from Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramírez, and Juan Uribe to take a 9–2 lead to an eventual win over the Royals. Carlos Quentin is hit by a pitch for the sixth game in a row. Attendance: (32,788). *September 30, 2008: The Sox defeat the Minnesota Twins 1–0 in a one-game playoff to determine the 2008 American League Central Division Champion. John Danks pitches an eight-inning, two-hit shutout; the lone run comes on a Jim Thome home run to center field that falls in front of the fan deck. Brian Anderson clinches the title with a diving catch in right-center to end the game. This game is known as the "Black Out Game" due to the fact that fans were asked to wear all black clothing. Attendance: (40,354) *January 20, 2009: The White Sox display a banner outside of Gate 6 to honor White Sox fan Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. *July 7, 2009: Paul Konerko of the White Sox hits three home runs against the Cleveland Indians. The first home run comes in the second inning off Jeremy Sowers, the second is a grand slam in the sixth off Chris Perez, and the third is in the seventh inning off Winston Abreu. The Sox defeat the Indians 10–6. Attendance: (23,758) *July 23, 2009: The first perfect game and second no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field. Mark Buehrle strikes out six batters and records 11 ground ball outs to get a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It is the second no-hitter of Buehrle's career, the last occurring on April 18, 2007, against the Texas Rangers. He is the first player since Hideo Nomo to throw multiple no-hitters, and the first to throw a perfect game since Randy Johnson did it May 18, 2004 against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. In a remarkable coincidence, Buehrle's first no-hitter was 2 hours and 3 minutes and Buehrle's second was just as long. Another coincidence was home plate umpire (#56, same as Buehrle's) Eric Cooper who called both Buehrle's no-hitters. Yet another coincidence is that Ramón Castro, who caught for Buehrle, wears the No. 27 on his jersey, the number of consecutive outs needed for a perfect game. It was also Cooper's third no-hitter called with his first one with Hideo Nomo on April 4, 2001. Attendance: (28,036) *July 30, 2009: Illinois Governor Pat Quinn presents Mark Buehrle with a proclamation prior to a White Sox-Yankees game, declaring July 30 as "Mark Buehrle Day" in the state of Illinois. The day is to honor Buehrle for his perfect game and his most consecutive retired batters. The White Sox defeat the Yankees 3–2. Attendance: (31,305) *August 2, 2009: New York Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera hits for the cycle, becoming the first Yankee to do so since Tony Fernandez in 1995. Cabrera's feat helps defeat the White Sox 8–5. Attendance: (36,325) 2010s *June 25, 2010: Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs has a meltdown against the White Sox, giving up four runs in the first inning. He proceeds to mount a furious tirade in the Cubs' dugout. Cameras showed Zambrano appearing to yell at Derrek Lee, whom the pitcher apparently blamed for failing to field a sharply hit ball off the bat of Juan Pierre, resulting in a leadoff double. The Cubs' coaching staff has to separate the two players and manager Lou Piniella opts not to send Zambrano back to the mound in the second inning. Cubs GM Jim Hendry suspends Zambrano indefinitely for his behavior in the game. The Sox win the game 6–0. Attendance: (39,364) *July 8, 2010: John Danks of the White Sox records his first career shutout against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim taking a no-hitter to the 7th inning. Danks gives up two hits while striking out seven with no walks. The Sox only score one run on a Paul Konerko sacrifice fly. The game is completed in 1 hour and 50 minutes. Attendance: (27,734) *July 11, 2010: Andruw Jones of the White Sox hits his 400th career home run in a 15–5 win over the Kansas City Royals. Attendance: (29,040) *August 27, 2010: The White Sox host Blackhawks night against the New York Yankees as championship trophies from the 1985 Bears, the '90s Bulls, the 2009–10 Blackhawks and the White Sox's own 2005 hardware, are all on display during a "Gathering of Champions" ceremony. Chicago is the first city to win all four major sports championships since 1985. Super Bowl XX MVP Richard Dent represents the Bears, Mark Buehrle is there for the White Sox and Coach Joel Quenneville is on hand for the Blackhawks. Scottie Pippen was supposed to be the Bulls’ representative, but he was late leaving those duties to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Pippen was later spotted on the suite level just as the game was starting. The Sox defeat the Yankees 9–4. Attendance: (38,596) This event also brought together the managers/head coaches of teams that won championships against teams from Philadelphia during their previous 12 months. Yankees Manager Joe Girardi, whose Yankees won their 27th championship against the Phillies the previous November and Quenneville, whose Blackhawks won their first championship since in Philadelphia against the Flyers. *August 29, 2010: The White Sox host Frank Thomas Day at the ballpark against the New York Yankees. Thomas's jersey is retired, along with his image posted on the legends' wall in left-center field next to Billy Pierce on his left and Carlton Fisk on his right, and also right under "The Catch" logo. Yankees defeat the Sox 2–1. Attendance: (39,433) *September 18, 2010: 10,000 Nancy Faust bobblehead dolls are presented to fans by the White Sox with a ceremony held by the team in honor of her retirement as the team's organist after 40 years. Faust throws the ceremonial first pitch. The Sox lose to the Detroit Tigers 6–3. Attendance: (27,828) *May 3, 2011: Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins throws a no-hitter against the White Sox for a 1–0 shutout with a Jason Kubel home run. Liriano enters the game with a 9.00+ ERA on the season and records his first career complete game with six walks and two strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 6.61. This is the first no-hitter for a visiting team at U.S. Cellular Field. Attendance: (20,901) *July 31, 2011: The White Sox unveil a replica statue of Frank Thomas on the outfield concourse behind section 160. The White Sox lose to the Boston Red Sox 5-3. Attendance: (28,278) *July 3, 2012: The White Sox score 19 runs against the two-time defending AL champion Texas Rangers. This is the most runs the White Sox have scored at the Cell since June 20, 2006 against the St. Louis Cardinals. First-time All-Star Chris Sale notches his 10th win of the season. The final score is 19-2. Attendance: (30,183) *September 27, 2014: Paul Konerko is honored before the game for his retirement from baseball. A statue of him is unveiled on the left-field concourse next to Frank Thomas' Statue. His #14 will be retired the following year. Konerko was the last member of the 2005 Champion White Sox left on the team at the time of his retirement. The Sox defeat the Kansas City Royals 5–4. Attendance: (38,160) *May 23, 2015: Paul Konerko's number 14 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. He became the 10th player to have his number retired by the White Sox. The White Sox were defeated by the Minnesota Twins 4-3. Attendance: (38,714) *June 24, 2017: Mark Buehrle's number 56 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. Buehrle becomes the 11th player in White Sox history to have a retired number. The White Sox were defeated by the Oakland Athletics 10-2. Attendance: (38,618) White Sox record at home Notes: 1994 season incomplete due to Players Strike. Only 113 games played. Only 144 games played in 1995. Only 161 games played in 1997, 1999 & 2019. 163 games played in 2008 due to AL Central division tie-breaker game. Non-baseball events Concerts Football In film and other media Guaranteed Rate Field has appeared in films such as Rookie of the Year (1993), Major League II (1994), Little Big League (1994), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), and The Ladies Man (2000). In Rookie of the Year the stadium played the role of Dodger Stadium and in Little Big League the stadium played the role of all opposing ballparks except for Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park. Commercials for the PGA Tour, Nike, Reebok and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America have been filmed at the park. Notes *Nathaniel Whalen, "Marked seats meaningful to Sox stars", Post Tribune, March 30, 2007 See also *Gene Honda – Public address announcer for the White Sox, DePaul Basketball, Chicago Blackhawks and the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four. *Roger Bossard – Head groundskeeper for the White Sox. (1983–present) *Nancy Faust – Long-time stadium organist for the White Sox. (1970–2010) *Southpaw – White Sox mascot. *Camelback Ranch – The spring training home of the White Sox shared with the Los Angeles Dodgers. (2009–present) References External links *Stadium site on whitesox.com *ISFAuthority.com *Andrewclem.com *Ballparksofbaseball.com *Ballparks.com *Aerial view of Guaranteed Rate Field *Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Chart }} Category:Chicago White Sox stadiums Category:Major League Baseball venues Category:Baseball venues in Chicago Category:Sports venues completed in 1991 Category:1991 establishments in Illinois Category:Populous buildings